The Death of Monday Night Football

AQUINAS I THURSDAY. APRIL28,2005 11 Next Edition: orts Our Final Season Wrap-up! The Death of Monday Night Football By RICH BARRABI mer ESPN Sunday night broad- Perhaps NBC sports chairman McMahon's XFL and currently, the Michaels and John Madden have Staff Wnter casts to NBC, who gets back in the Dick Ebersol has a similar vision to Arena Football League. become synonymous with foot game after a six year absence that the one that his protege, former Perhaps NBCs willingness to ball. While Michaels and Madden For 35 years, Monday Night saw its sports department lose via- ABC sports chairman Roon spend the money this time around will undoubtedly remain as the Football has been something spe- bility and viewership. Arledge had some 35 years ago. It was due to the fact that the· net commentating team, the mystique cial. Throughout the years, it has NBC will lead into their broad- was the late Arledge who dreamt work is in danger of finishing an of the positions they hold has been represented everything the NFL ~ts with a preg.ame show start- up the· idea of the NFL on prime unprecedented fourth in the rat diminished. wanted .to be. It was colorful, it mg at 7 p.m., which will: certainly time broadcast television all the ings this season behind ABC, CBS, Monday Night Football wasn't was exciting and most im):lOrtant- take ~war from th~ au<!ien~e that way back in ~70, and ~ow it is and FOX. Nevertheless, NBC is a just a game, it was an event. It ly, it was readily accessible. , ~SPN s_ . NFL Pnmetime has Eber~ol ~ho IS expanding upon major player in the sports arena was special because it was the "MNF," as its been marketed in . ··~sed m i:ece?t years. NBC also that tdea m 2005. once again. marquee match up of the week, recent years by the suits at ABC, . gets the 2009'· and 2012 Super "When the deal conclu?,ed with ESPN thinks they've pulled off a the perfect clincher to a weekend was a marketing department's ~Is as part of f!!e de~. .. a ~dshake on saturday, Ebersol coup, but in reality the Disney of NFL football. The NFL has dream; a place to showcase the tal· . 1n· t!te currel!t media envrron- . srud. 1.walked up Park Avenue to Corporation has lost more than it dehumanized what the game has ents of the league's players coach- ~ent, Sunday lS now the better my apartment and spent most of has gained. Instead of holding the meant to its players and fans. It es, and on-air personaliti~s to a rught for ,?ur prime~~e broadcast the ~e remembering most of the rights to both the Sunday and has made its decision with its national broadcast . audience package, ComrrusslOner Paul begmnmgs on ABC. Monday Night games in recent check book, not its heart, in mind. Perhaps the most instrumental ele~ Tagliabue said. "I was Roon Arledge's assistant years (Disney owns ESPN and Perhaps it is the big winner of all ment to the emergence of the NFL !Jle NBC Sunday night ~ames and I was the o.nlY one he W?uld ABQ, Disney is now looking at a of this, Ebersol, who put it best on as the premiere professional sports will now start at 8:15, while ~e llll:ow to come mto the mee~s Monday Night program that will Monday. league in the world Monday Night Monday Night Football games will w1th Pete Rozelle for the frrst suffer diminished ratings due to ''In my happiness that the prime Football was specicd. m~e up fr~m 9:~5 to 8:4~ p.m. prime-~e package, when Roone its move to cable, and has allowed time broadcast is moving to NBC, However with the new NFL tele- The earlier kickoff times for was trymg to sell Pete on why it NBC to get back in the sports I couldn't help but think how sad vision deal armounced, which b?th. packages! NBC's Sunday would work." game with its new acquisition. Roon would be at this point," shifts the Monday Night games to rught programmmg devoted to the Ebersol, who has been ham The biggest loser of course is the Ebersol said. cable and ESPN, the games may NFL and ~exible scheduling. ~or strun~ in r~c~nt years by his net NFL. Monday Night Football was Roon Arledge wouldn't be the continue to be played on the same Sunday .. rugh~ are ~ positive works unwillingn~ss to spend the n't just another football game. It only one. night, and the moniker will changes, Tagliabue satd. ~oney to keep either the televi had a certain aura, a playoff undoubtedly remain but the . So when you sort through It all, ston nghts to the NFL or NBA, has atmosphere and a theatric produc Rich Barrabi is a sophomore Monday Night Football brand as It is clear that Monday Night immediately restored credibility to tion style that appealed to a wide Communication major from East we know it is dead Football is dead, but who are the a network that in recent years has array of viewers. The voices of Meadow, NY. The new deal als~ moves the for- winners and losers in all of this? unsuccessfully tried to sell poten- Howard Cosell, Don Meredith, Dan . NBC is a clear cut winner. tial viewers on the virtues of Vince Dierdorf, Frank Gifford, AI Norsemen Playing Well By BOBBY HEANEY club president Kevin Karabin said. "The overall theme for this fall, Sports· Editor "But we have a difficult hurtle yet of course, is to win, but to surpass to come with the game against where we finished as a team," Millersville." Off a 2-1 start for thespring sea Karabin said. 'ruso, to get more son, The University's men's rugby The Norsemen determine the players on the Eastern success of the spring season not team is using what it has learned Pennsylvania Rugby Union all-star this season to build a competitive on wirlS or loses but rather on the team. And this can be done as we advancement of their younger have an excellent squad for the team for the 2005 fall season. players. While the competitiveness fall." The Norsemen's six-game sched is still there, the spring season ule has been shortened due to two But success won't only be meas does not count toward the teams ured by those standards. The team canceled games. In the three overall record. Therefore, they look games they have played, however, wants to see as much support for to better develop their strengths the Norsemen have had a wide the club as possible. Coaches May Tell Votes In Final Poll By TEDDY GREENSTEIN Form a panel of perhaps 50-60 I<RT Campus former coaches, administrators and media members who would vote each week and simply College football coaches love replace the AP poll. keeping secrets. Just try asking Use only the coaches' poll and one about an injured player on the computer ratings. eve of a big game. Form a committee similar to the But for the first time, coaches one used by the NCAA basketball appear willing to r~lease how they tournament to determine the voted individually in their final nation's top-ranked teams. season rankings to preserve their But allowing a committee to THE NORSEMAN are look1ng ahead to lhe fall season role in the Bowl Championship determine the nation's top two Series formula. teams could lead to credibility and work on their weaknesses. 'We want everyone to come out 'We will do what is best for the variety of outcomes. for the fall season games, most of issues. The University opened the sea 'Well actually most of the sen BCS," said Grant Teaff, the execu iors, against regular tradition, are which will be home," Karabin said. "You'd see the most mythical son April 2 at home against tive director of the American national championship you've playing and two new seniors have ':And as always the team is always Football Coaches Association. Syracuse. The Norseman pulled open to new players experienced ever laid eyes on," Teaff warned, out a tight game in which only one just started," Karabin said. "But all Teaff met Monday with BCS offi in all the team as a whole has or not." adding that it was "astronomically try was scored. The final score was cials at their armual meetings. unlikely" that the coaches' poll stepped up to fill empty shoes for The last game of the spring sea First on the agenda is discussing 5-0. son will be Saturday, April 30 at would be excluded from the for The next week, playing at home next fall with the help of the sen how to replace The Associated iors in the spring." Millersville at 1 p.m. mula. again, they dominated Widener on Press poll, which made up one The only deal-breaker would be Throughout the spring season, third of the formula used to deter . the way to a 52-0 rout. the Norseman have their eyes set Bobby Heaney is a jtm.ior if the BCS demanded that the In their most recent game, the mine which teams play in the on the fall. The fall determines Communication major from New coaches release their votes each Norseman lost 39-12 on the road to national championship game.

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